Metallic storage rack for barrels



Marc 2, 1937. H, R, AN EL 2,072,699.

METALLIC STORAGE RACK.FOR BARRELS Original Filed April 5, v1954 4sheets-sheei 1 dbtoaweq March 2, 1937. H. R/ANSEL METALLIC STORAGE RACKFOR BARRELS 4 Sheet-Sheet 2 original Filed April 5, 1954 abhor/mag H.ANSEL METALLIC STORAGE RAcK FOR BARRELS Original Filed April 5, 1954 4Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Mar. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HarryR. Ansel,

Columbus, Ohio Application April 5, 1934, Serial No. 719,160 RenewedDecember 31, 1936 4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in storage structures, an' objectthereof being to provide a novel storage structure formed primarily fromlight structural steel members con- 5 structed in units and which areadapted to be rigidly united in assembled order to provide for thecompact support of kegs, barrels or the like in an orderly, accessibleand securely supported manner.

While the present invention relates broadly to metallic storagemechanism designed for the support of various commodities, containers orproducts, for either display or storage purposes, yet, considering itsmore specific aspects, the storage structure is peculiarly suitable forthe support of kegs or barrels used, for instance, in the storage andageing of liquids. In the production of spiritous liquors the latter,following their initial formation, are placed in barrels or kegs andthen stored for varying periods of time to undergo required ageingprocesses prior to their release for commercial or consumption purposes;Distillers of alcoholic beverages particularly are required to keeplarge quantities of barreled liquors constantly on hand for both ageingand general storage purposes. Heretofore, very little attention has beengiven to the efficient and economical construction of storage structuresfor the retention of a large number of liquid containing barrels. Inmost instances, conventional types of buildings have been employedhaving the necessary structural strength and required floor space forthe reception of different kinds of racks of ordinary room heightsuitable to receive and support liquid holding barrels. Usually thesestructures have been excessively costly and/or inefficient in'the matterof enabling a large number of barrels to be stored in a given minimumamount of space. Again, it has been customary for such structures toinclude expensive flooring, side walls and other kindred items ofbuilding expense not justified for the specific function of barrelstorage.

It is therefore one of the Outstanding objects of the present inventionto provide a barrel storage structure of multi-storied building heightcomprising an open frame structure formed from structural steel buildingmembers and containing a plurality of parallel rack units ofcorresponding construction and which may be readily united during theircourse of erection in strong, substantial unitary relationship,producing a plurality of superposed racks designed for the support ofbarrels or kegs in substantially horizontal order, the duplicativeconstruction of said units providing for flexibility in design so thatsaid units may be readily assembled in order that their total barrelholding capacity may be adapted to the requirements of any particularsituation.

It is another object of the invention to surround the framework of thestorage structure with suit able weather-excluding walls in associationwith a protective roofing, and wherein said walls and roofing arerigidly united with the structural framework of the barrel storagestructure, to the end of producing a building of marked strength, easilyerectible and of low cost construction, having an unusually high barrelholding capacity per cubic foot of available internal building space.

It is a, further object of the invention to construct the framestructure thereof comprising the barrel holding racks so that thebarrels will be supported in a multiplicity of superposed horizontalrows or tiers, the said rows or tiers being separated by narrow aislesof sufficient width to admit of manual inspection of the ends or headsof said barrels and, also, to provide between the spaced ends oflaterally adjoining rows of racks one or more longitudinally extendingrunways, the said aisles and runways being provided with a flooring bymeans of which a barrel or barrels may be removed from the ends of anysingle rack onto the runway in order to provide for loading purposes,the said aisles, however, being too narrow to admit of the movement ofkegs or barrels of conventional size therethrough.

A further object of the invention rests in constructing the internalframework of the storage structure so that each of the barrel storageunits formed therein, and which units are substantially of duplicateformation, will embody stationary vertical angle members with which areconnected horizontally extending, parallel and vertically spaced barrelreceiving angles, the latter being appropriately spaced so that thebottom flanges thereof will receive the ends of barrels placedhorizontally thereon, and to provide in combination with the horizontaland vertical angle members of each rack unit improved truss bracesdesigned to reenforce said angle members which are disposedadvantageously to augment their essential strength, to the end ofpermitting light weight structural steel members to be utilized in theconstruction of the rack units and to avoid excessive weight and thehigher costs incident to the employment of heavier structural members.

It is a further object to rigidly unite with the vertical angle membersof the rack units transversely and horizontally extending beams whichare employed in effecting the support of the flooring used in the narrowaisleways separating adjoining rack units and. in the communicatingrunways which are employed for the servicing of said rack units.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed outhereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel features of construction,combinations of elements and arrangements of parts, hereinafter morefully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of the external wall construction of thebarrel storage structure formed in accordance with the presentinvention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the external wall construction;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken through the barrel storagestructure and indicating the operative positions of the individual rackunits arranged therein;

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken through saidstorage structure;

Fig. 5 is a detail vertical longitudinal sectional view on the planedisclosed by the line VV of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a detail vertical sectional view on the line VIVI of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken through a plurality ofadjoining rackunits on the plane indicated by the line VIIVII of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a detail horizontal sectional view showing more particularlythe connections of the racks and the side frame of the building;

Fig. 9 is a detail vertical sectional view on the line IXIX of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a similar view on the line XX of Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a verticalsectional view on the line XI-XI of Fig. 8.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, and to the specificembodiment thereof therein illustrated, the improved barrel storagestructure comprises essentially a structural steel framework Apeculiarly constructed for the reception and storage of barreled liquidsand a surrounding weather excluding wall structure B which includes asuitable type of roof C. The walls B and the roof C may be formed fromany suitable materials such as masonry, concrete, tile, frame andsiding, although I prefer to employ a sectional steel wall and roofstructure, such as that disclosed in United States Patents Nos.1,635,147, 1,659,988, 1,760,817, 1,770,063 and 1,780,862, since the typeof wall structure set forth in these patents readily adapts itself toeconomy in manufacture and erection, the same being composed of aplurality of pre-formed, suitably insulated metallic'panels, havingtheir adjoining end edges ribbed and, permanently united by metallicbonding strips. The walls B may be provided at suitable intervals withwindows indicated at D and doors E. Also when the building is ofmultistoried height, one end of the building may be provided with one ormore elevators and/ or stairways F.

The steel barrel rack system disposed within the external walls of thebuilding comprises a plurality of vertically disposed duplicative units,as indicated at G in Fig. 3, which units extend usually from theconcrete foundation members H of the building to the roof beams I. Eachof these units comprises vertically disposed structural steel members,which are indicated at I5. In the specific form of the inventionillustrated, these members have been shown as of angular form, al-

though other structural steel shapes of standard manurfacture may beused. Each of the members I5 is preferably of a length equivalent to theheight of a single story of the building, as such a length readilyadapts the members for convenient handling during assembly and erectionand likewise readily adapts the rack system to buildings of differentheight. Welded or otherwise secured to both ends of each of the members[5 are flat metallic splice plates l6, by means of which the members I5may be joined in vertically disposed order through the use of fasteningdevices I! in the form of threaded connections, as shown, or by rivetingor welding. Suitably secured to the inner legs 7' of the members [5,preferably by welding, are vertically spaced horizontally extendingangle irons or elements l8. The latter are arranged in cooperative pairsso that their substantially horizontal flanges will be properly spacedto receive and support the ends of horizontally placed barrels or kegsl9 disposed thereon. Preferably, the elements l8 are of such length asto receive in closely associated relationship, as indicated in Fig. 6,five standard size barrels or kegs. To brace the structure to permit ofthe employment of light weight structural members, consistent with theweight of the load to be supported thereby, I employ the truss or bracerods disclosed particularly in Fig. 6. These brace rods comprise acentral vertically extending rod 20 for each unit which is disposedapproximately half way of the length of each of the horizontallyextending angle elements l8 on which the barrels or kegs are supported,the rod'2ll,

disposed on each side of each unit being of sufficient length to engagewith three of the angle elements and is secured to the latter by weldingor other equivalent fastening agencies. In combination with each of thevertical rods 20 are upwardly diverging rods 2| which, at their lower 7ends, are welded or otherwise fastened to the lowlegs 7 of the verticalangle members IS, the rods 20 and 2| acting as tension members to bracethe horizontally extending angle elements 18 and to enable the latter tosupport the weight of the liquid filled kegs deposited thereon withoutstructural deformation. If desired, the horizontal legs of the angleelements I8 may be shaped to conform to the inclination or curvature ofthe ends of the barrels or kegs IS, in order that the latter may haveextended surface contact with the elements IS in lieu of mere linecontact.

Asshown in'Figs. 6 and 7, when the rack units are longitudinallyaligned, the vertical angle members l5 may be placed side by side inadjoining pairs and suitably bolted or otherwise secured together withtheir horizontal splice plates 16 in registering relationship. Thisenables the units to be built up in sections'of any desired length tosupport on each tier any desired number of barrels in multiples, in thisinstance, of five. The splice plates at the upper ends of each unit areconnected with cross links 22 which serve to provide transverseconnections between adjoining vertical angle members l5 and thus braceand reenforce the structure.

Formed between adjoining pairs of rack units are narrow aisles 23 termedcat walks. These aisles are preferably merely of sufficient width topermit an attendant to walk therethrough for the purpose of inspectingbarrel heads but are of insuflicient widthto permit of the withdrawal ofbarrels from the racks into said aisles for handling purposes. Thehandling of the barrels is effected from the longitudinal ends of therack units, which ends terminate contiguous to wider aisles 24hereinafter termed run-ways. These run-ways are provided with suitableflooring 25 and are of such width as to permit of the transportation ofbarrels or kegs therethrough when rolled or transported on trucks sothat the loading and unloading of each rack unit will be effected fromthe run-ways. To support the flooring 25, channel beams 26 are employedwhich have their ends bolted or otherwise united with the angularuprights through their splice plates 16, the flooring 25 resting uponthe upper flanges of the channel beams 26 and may be suitably securedthereto in any desired manner. The flooring platforms 2'! of the catwalks 23 are supported by means of transversely extending angles 28supported by and uniting adjoining pairs of splice plates l 6. Theangles 28 cooperate with the horizontal and vertical diagonal 22 to forman eflicient bracing system.

To connect the rack framework A with the frame structure of the walls B,the upright angle members l5, disposed contiguous to the walls B, areconnected at intervals with channel sections 29, which projecthorizontally from the splice plates l6 toward the walls B. The outerends of the channel sections 29 are connected with angle brackets 30,which have their shorter legs fastened as at 3| to complemental anglebrackets 32, the latter being bolted or otherwise secured as at 33 towall angles 34. It will be understood, however, that other connectionsmay be employed of a corresponding character for establishing a rigidunion between the external walls of the building and the internal barrelrack framework.

In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that the present inventionprovides for a practical, economical and eiflcient rack structure foreffecting the support of a large number of barrels under conditions ofstorage and that the invention is particularly applicable for use indistilleries producing alcoholic beverages, wherein it is necessary thatsuch beverages shall be barreled and retained in storage for a period ofseveral years. During this period of storage, the barrels are seldommoved from their original positions in the rack mechanism and thereforeI prefer to provide the narrow aisleways 23 for the purpose ofincreasing the storage capacity of the system, rather than to widen suchaisleways to render each stored barrel readily accessible independentlyof others on the same rack. However, it is within the scope of myinvention to employ the wider aisles if the latter are desired.

It will be observed that the entire rack mechanism may be formed fromstructural steel members of standardized form, and by uniting thevertical angle members I5 by the splice arrangement disclosed so thatsaid members will possess a height equivalent to that of one story of anordinary building, convenience in manufacture and erection of the racksystem is obtainable together with the added advantage of flexibility inadapting the system to buildings of various height or other dimensions.Most of the framework can be formed at the factory so that it Will bemerely necessary toassemble the same during the operation of buildingerection. The framework provides three distinct systems of bracing inthree different planes, and will support not only the dead load of thebarrels and their contents, but will also absorb any wind load on theexterior walls. By the use of the welded rack units, the number of boltsnecessary for installation during erection work are reduced to aminimum, and lower building costs are thereby obtained.

What is claimed is:

1. A metallic barrel supporting unit comprising spaced upright cornermembers in the form of angle bars, vertically spaced substantiallyhorizontally extending angle rails secured at their ends to the verticalangle bars, said angle rails being disposed in complemental pairs spacedtransversely so that the substantially horizontally extending flangesthereof will receive and support the ends of the barrels positionedthereon, the vertical flanges of said angle rails serving as guides forengagement with the ends of said barrels, said corner members beingspaced transversely to provide for the loading and unloading of barrelson said angle rails from the ends of the rack unit, and vertically andangularly extending braces arranged at the sides of said rack unit andsecured to said angle rails and upright angle bars.

2. A metallic barrel storage rack comprising vertically extending pairsof front and rear corner posts, vertically spaced substantiallyhorizontally extending angle rails secured at their ends to the cornerposts, said rails being disposed in complemental pairs spacedtransversely so that the substantially horizontally extending flangesthereof will receive and support the ends of the barrels positionedthereon, the front of said rack between said rails being entirely openand devoid of transverse members, and suspension braces directlyconnected with said corner posts and with intermediate portions of saidangle rails, whereby to strengthen the load supporting properties of theangle rails between their points of connection with said corner posts.

3. A metallic barrel storage rack comprising vertically extending pairsof front and rear corner posts, vertically spaced substantiallyhorizontally extending angle rails secured at their ends to the cornerposts, said rails being disposed in complemental pairs spacedtransversely so that the substantially horizontally extending flangesthereof will receive and support the ends of the barrels positionedthereon, and suspension braces directly connected with said corner postsand with intermediate portions of said angle rails, whereby tostrengthen the load supporting properties of the angle rails betweentheir points of connection with said corner posts.

4. A metallic barrel storage rack comprising vertically extending pairsof front and rear corner posts, vertically spaced substantiallyhorizontally extending angle rails directly secured at their ends to thevertical corner posts, said angle rails being disposed in complementalpairs spaced transversely so that the substantially horizontallyextending flanges thereof will receive and support the ends of thebarrels positioned thereon, the vertical flanges of said angle railsserving as guides for engagement with the ends of said barrels, saidcorner posts being spaced transversely and the front of the rack beingdevoid of transverse bars to provide for the loading and unloading ofbarrels on said angle rails from the front end of said rack, andvertically and angularly extending braces directly connected with saidcorner posts and with intermediate portions of the vertical flanges ofsaid angle rails, whereby to strengthen the load supporting propertiesof the angle rails between their points of connection with said cornerposts.

HARRY R. ANSEL.

